When Dogs Aggressively Claim Furniture

Although you don't mind not sitting in "her" chair, you're making a huge error by letting your dog guard that space. One day she could make the dangerous switch from growler to biter. Get advice from dog trainer Kathy Santo.

My dog growls at anyone who sits on her chair, and it has scared some friends. No one, including me, is allowed on that chair and I'm okay with that. How can I suggest to guests that if they would just go sit on the floor with her for a few minutes, everything would be fine?

This question feels loaded with subtext, and makes me want to ask, "Why do you let your dog dictate who is allowed to do anything in your house?" Who pays the mortgage? If it's you, then congratulations, you get to decide what the rules are in your home. Although you don't mind not sitting in "her" chair, you're making a huge error by letting her guard that space. One day she could make the dangerous switch from growler to biter, and that's when people's lives get changed forever. You should either begin or advance her obedience training right away, and restrict her access to high places, especially the chair. When a dominant dog's eye line is the same or higher than a human's, her tendency to be aggressive increases. Pile the chair with boxes or a few large pillows if necessary. If she still gets on it, tell her "off," and reward her correct response with enthusiastic praise. Keep her on a leash when you have company to enforce her obedience training. One final word — never, ever encourage anyone to sit on the floor and be licked in the face by a growling or aggressive dog. It's a common misconception that by being down "on their level" you're somehow more friendly and less threatening to dogs. This misinformation is usually followed by the suggestion that the dog "kissing" will make everything better, which it most certainly will not. Dogs don't lick as a canine form of the human kiss (sorry), they lick for greeting, showing respect, and in some cases — like yours — to assert dominance and control. Besides the fact that this kind of behavior demonstrates to your dog that a person is submissive to her, the cold hard reality is that the damage that a dog's bite can do is irreversible. And having prior knowledge of the problem makes you irresponsible.